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The bluffer’s guide to showjumping at the 2022 World Championships in Herning

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • After weeks of anticipation, the showjumping at the 2022 World Championships in Herning, Denmark, finally kicks off on Wednesday (10 August) with the world’s leading athletes preparing to compete across five days of team and individual sport.

    The World Showjumping Championships take place every four years but this year marks a new departure as the contest is no longer part of a combined World Equestrian Games, although dressage, para dressage and vaulting are all taking place in Herning, too.

    After we experienced a new format at the Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 World Showjumping Championships return in line with previous World and European Showjumping Championships with teams of four riders and a drop score. The team medals are decided first, concluding with the individual medals.

    So who will be crowned world champion? When should you tune in? When are the medals decided? Here is the lowdown for this year’s World Showjumping Championships in Herning.

    What are the dates for the World Showjumping Championships?

    First competition: Wednesday 10 August 11am-5pm (10am-4pm UK time)
    Second competition: Thursday 11 August 1pm-7pm (12-6pm UK time)
    Team Final: Friday 12 August 9pm-11.30pm (8-10.30pm UK time)
    Individual final: Sunday 14 August 2pm-4.30pm (1pm-3.30pm UK time)

    What happens on each day of the championships?

    Monday 8 August: The first horse inspection takes place at 10am.
    Wednesday 10 August: first qualifier – every horse and rider combination (team and individual) takes part in one round of speed jumping over jumps set at a maximum height of 1.55m. The final scores will be determined by the winning rider, on faults and time, being given 0 penalties; the others in descending order will be given a total determined by the difference in faults between them and the winner. Any combination eliminated or who does not finish will be given 20 penalties more than the highest score of all who completed. A pool of €92,600 prize money is on offer for this class.
    Thursday 11 August: second qualifier – scores are carried forward to the next round of competition, where athletes competing only as individuals  jump first, followed by every team rider in rotation. The jumps will now be set at a maximum of 1.65m in height.
    Friday 12 August: team final – the top 10 teams go through to today’s team medal decider. Any rider who is in the top 60 but whose team does not qualify for the team final may also take part in the second round. Should the leading two teams be equal on faults on Friday, there will be a jump-off, and the team medals will be presented.
    Saturday 13 August: rest day, CSI3* non-championship classes
    Sunday 14 August: individual final for the top 25 athletes, all of whom will carry their scores through to the last day. This course will be set at a maximum of 1.65m, and scores from throughout the week will decide the individual medals. Should two athletes be equal, there will be a jump-off against the clock. The prize fund for the final day’s jumping is 463,000euro.

    Is there a team drop score?

    Yes, with four riders in each nation’s team, only the best three scores will be counted. Any countries fielding teams of just three riders, however, will obviously need to count all their scores.

    What should we expect from the Olympic showjumping tracks?

    The course-designer is Louis Konickx, who has designed at top events including World Cup Finals and Rolex grands prix, as well as at Bolesworth. He was also a technical delegate at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, so could he have taken some inspiration from there?

    World Showjumping Championships: facts and figures

    • The reigning world champion is Simone Blum of Germany, but we will definitely see a new title-holder as she isn’t in action at these championships. Silver and bronze medallists Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat, both representing Switzerland, are back bidding for medals this year.
    • The reigning team gold medallists are USA.
    • The last British individual gold medallist was David Broome in 1970
    • Great Britain last won a team medal in 1998 when Di Lampard, this year’s chef d‘equipe, was riding alongside Nick Skelton, John Whitaker and Geoff Billington.

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    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
    Jennifer Donald

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